Reflecting on Luke 17:1-6“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…” (Luke 17:6)
Jesus has described the challenging call to end the hurt by pursuing love.
Don’t be the one hurting, but seek reconciliation and show mercy by forgiving.
It takes serious confidence (faith) in Jesus to join Him in this.
It takes trust to become a servant of love in a world of hate and hurt.
This is why the disciples exclaim ‘increase our faith/trust/confidence’.
Jesus tells them their success does not depend on the size of their faith.
He is not saying faith is unimportant, but it is not faith that is the power.
It is not our faith, but what we put our faith in, that is powerful.
The God of love, and the love of God, are the most powerful force in the world.
God created this world by love for love, holding all things together by love.
Even a tiny confidence in love is enough, for God’s love itself does the work.
God loves us, and honours our weak, stumbling efforts towards love.
I know I cannot love the way I ought to, but I do believe it is the right way.
I am not confidence in the size of my love, but in the size of God’s love.
His love overcomes the mountains of hate and hurt, and I want to be a part of that!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I do not want to harm others, yet I cannot stop it. Impress on me the power of Your love to heal and help, so that I do not give up, trusting that Your love will overcome my weakness and the mountain of hurt that results from it.
The Gospel in one word is love. That love I daily need to share by my words and deeds. The prayer of Saint Francis comes to my mind in my loving my neighbour:
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy
Oh, master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of your peace
It isn’t pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men let we receive
And in dying that we’re born to turn around
Oh, master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy